Brush making machine



28, 1967 H. zAHoRANsKY 3,313,415

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1965 9 sheets-sheet 1 627 fo f2 f4 5 6?? YM mm mm HM AM ZH .s Hm B March 28, l?

9 Sheets-Shedl 2 Filed Feb., 24, 1955 L@ lv -v -H Q. H Y/ March 28 1%? H. zAHoRANsKY SMAG BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1955 9 SheetS--Slnel 3 Hf M@ wmf;

3,3HAE6 March 28, 1967 H. zAHoRANsKY BRUSH MAKING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 24, 1965 ha S QMS .Qu u w E f w NS QE@ n /m Nw d TrEIIfLFPT mi j. mi l.; a Q, \W%/ /l E s n @um fifi ,4 TTU/FA/fy March 28, 1967 H. zAHoRANsKY BRUSH MAKING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheetl 5 Filed Feb. 24, 1965 Fig, 72 XZ l 'IIL Ill-III March 28, 1967 H. zAl-IORANSKYv 3,31L46 BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1965 9 Sheets-Sheet 6v H. ZAHORANSKY BRUSH MAKING MACHINE March 28, 1967 9 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Feb. 24, 1965 March 28, 1967 H. zAHoRANsKY 3,311,416

BRUSH MAKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1965 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 y 76 1 lziii'l 7% mi March 28, 1967 H. zAHoRANsKY BRUSH MAKING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed Feb. 24, 1965 United States Patent O BRUSH MAKDG MACHINE Heinz Zahoransky, 49 Wintererstrasse, Freiburg, Germany Filed Feb. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 434,768 Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 28, 1964 (utility model) Z 9,060, Z 10,675 19 Claims. (Cl. 300-4) The present invention relates to brush making ma chines in general, and more particularly to improvements in machines for making brushes of the type wherein the bristles Vare assembled into tufts which are inserted into and fastened in a back support. Still more particularly, the invention relates to an improved bristle forming, feeding and stacking unit which is utilized in such machines to assemble and deliver tufts of bristles to the inserting or filling unit.

In brush m-aking machines of the type to which the present invention pertains, the stock from which the bristles are made is preferably convoluted on reels and is fed to a cutting station to be subdivided into bristles of requisite length. Such bristles are thereupon stacked to form tufts which are ready for insertion into a back support. The stock may consist of metallic or plastic filaments of circular or polygonal cross section. Serious problems arise when the filaments are of flat rectangular cross section because bristles consisting of such filamentary material must be stacked with utmost precision and within short intervals of time to insure that the inserting unit may operate at a speed which is necessary in mass pro- Y duction of brushes. All ybristles consisting of filaments having a rectangul-ar cross section must be stacked one above the other to make such that each thereof may be fiexed in a manner known from hair pins, i.e., in a plane which is perpendicular to its maximum cross-sectional dimension. A single improperly positioned bristle will impede the functioning of the inserting unit and might cause total breakdown or lengthy interruptions in the operation of the brush making machine. In other words, it is necessary to stack fiat bristles of rectangular cross section in such a way that the maximum transverse dimension of each bristle is normal to the maximum transverse dimension of -a tuft.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a brush making machine which is especially suited for making brushes with tufts including at bristles of rectangular cross section and wherein the bristle forming, feeding and stacking unit (hereinafter called assembling unit) is constructed in such a way that the bristles invariably form tufts of properly assembled bristles.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembling unit of the just outlined characteristics which is constructed in such a way that its component parts may assemble tufts at exceptionally short intervals so that the machine may be utilized for mass production of brushes whose bristles consist of polygonal or round filamentary material, e.g., fiat strips of metal, metallic wire of circular cross section, flat strips of synthetic plastic material (such as nylon) and/ or synthetic plastic wires of circular cross section.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide an assembling unit which may be rapidly converted for the formation of different types of tufts consisting of different numbers of bristles and/or differently dimensioned bristles, and wherein the bristles are manipulated in such a way that each thereof undergoes deformation which is well within the elastic limits of its material.

An additional object of the invention is to provide 3,3-ll,4l6 Patented Mar. 23, 1967 "ice an improved bristle stacking device which may be utilized in an assembling unit of the above outlined characteristics.

Another object of the invention is to providey an improved bristle cutting or severing device for an lassembling unit of the above defined character.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved Ibristle transferring device for use with an assembling unit of the above outlined characteristics.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a novel feeding or advancing device for use in the assembling unit.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a method of assembling flat strip shaped or otherwise configurated bristles into tufts of desired length.

Briefly stated, one feature of my invention resides in the provision of a machine for making brushes of the type wherein tufts of bristles are inserted into holes drilled in aback support. The machine comprises a source of supply mounted on a frame and including a plurality of convoluted or otherwise stored filaments preferably consisting of steel or another metallic material and adapted to be subdivided into bristles of requisite length, feeding means operative to intermittently advance the filaments lengthwise along an elongated path and preferably comprising at least one wheel-shaped rotary member which engages the filaments by friction, ,guide means defining an elongated channel through which the leading portions of the filaments advance in a common horizontal, i'nclined or vertical plane, cutting means cooperating with I the guide means for separating the leading portions from the filaments at a point where the filaments are located in the common plane and between intermittent operations of the feeding means whereby the thus separated leading portions form a group of bristles, stacking means defining an elongated passage for the groups and configurated in such a way that portions of the bristles in each consecutively formed group are automatically arranged one above the other (i.e., in a plane which is preferably normal to the common plane of the filaments passing through the guide means) and form a tuft, inserting or stapling means arranged to receive tufts seriatim from the stacking means, and transfer means for delivering the tufts to the inserting means.

1n accordance with a more specific feature of my invention, all of the above enumerated means, with the exception `of the inserting and transfer means, are preferably mounted on a common carrier which is adjustably supported by the frame of the machine in such a way that it may be shifted in directions at right angles to the direction in which the tufts are transferred from the stacking means to the inserting means.

In one of its preferred forms, the passage defined by the stacking means converges in the common plane of the filaments and in a direction away from the guide means, and the passage simultaneously diverges in a second plane which is normal to such common plane.

The transfer means ycooperates with a movable member of the stacking means so as to be in a position to receive a tuft when the movable member is shifted away from the remainder of the stacking means. This movable member stradles three sides of a freshly assembled tuft and is arranged to move the tuft into the path of the transfer means.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved brush making machine itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the 3 following ldetailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a side elevational View of a brush making machine embodying an assembling unit which is constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the assembling unit with certain of its parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line III-III of FIG. 2 and shows certain elements of the guide means, advancing means and stacking means which constitute component parts of the assembling unit;

FIG. 4 is a section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line IV-IV of FIG. 2 and illustrates the drive mechanism for the advancing means;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line V-V of FIG. 2 and illustrates portions of the stacking `and transfer means;

FIG. 6 illustrates the stacking means of FIG. 5 in a different position;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section through the transfer means as seen in the direction of arrows from the line VII- VII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a vertical section through a portion of a slightly modified assemblying unit substantially as seen in the direction of arrows from the line VIII-VIII of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a transverse vertical section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line IX-IX of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a horizontal section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line X-X of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a vertical section through the inserting unit as seen in the direction of arrows from the line XI-XI of FIG. 12;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged vertical section through the inserting unit as seen in the direction of arrows from the line XII-XII of FIG. 17;

FIG. 13 is a vertical section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line XIII- XIII of FIG. 17;

FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of an adjusting mechanism for a stop which is utilized in the machine of FIG. 1, the view being taken in the direction indicated by arrow C in FIG. 17;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view as seen in the direction of arrow i) in FIG. 17, a portion of the stacking device being shown in vertical section;

FIG. 16 is a front elevational view of the inserting and supporting units as seen from the left-hand side of FIG. 1

FIG. 1 7 is a horizontal section resembling that of FIG. 3 aid further showin-g certain details of the inserting unit; an

FIG. 18 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the machine as seen in the direction of arrow E in FIG. 17.

Referring to the drawings, and first to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a brush making machine 1 which includes a frame structure supporting a novel assembling unit 2, an inserting or filling unit 25 which serves to insert tufts or groups of stacked separated filament portions or bristles into bores drilled in a back support 125a, and a supporting -or holding unit 125 which holds the back support 125a during insertion of tufts so that the bristles and the back support form a brush. The present invention is embodied primarily in the assembling unit 2. The manner in which the back supports 12551 may be stored and transported will be explained in connection with FIG. 16 `and is disclosed in full detail in my copending patent applications Ser. Nos. 315,474 and 315,488.

The assembling unit comprises a cutting or severing device 3, a transfer device 4, a feeding or advancing device 5, a guide 6, and a stacking device 8. Filaments 7 of metallic strip material are stored in a source of supthe machine 1. The filaments are being paid out to advance lengthwise in an elongated path and into the guide 6. In the illustrated embodiment, the filaments 7 are of rectangular cross section and their width exceeds their height (see particularly FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings). The configuration of the guide 6 is such that the leading portions of the four filaments 7 `are compelled to enter in a common horizontal plane and are rather closely v.adjacent to each other, see FIG. 3. The guide 6 is provided with a cutout 10 which accommodates portions of vertically adjustable spring-biased advancing Wheels 11, 12 forming part of the feeding device 5. These wheels are respectively provided with friction generating peripheral portions or mantles 13, 14 which consist of rubber or similar elastically deformable material, for example a material sold under the trade name of Resitex. The means for biasing the mantles 13, 14 toward the respective upper and lower sides of the filaments 7 in the cutout 1t) comprises two helical springs 15, 15', shown in FIG. 2, which respectively bear against the shafts 11a, 12a of the wheels 11, 12 and whose bias may be regulated by fluid-operated pistons 15a, 15a guided in cylinders 15b, 15b'. The shafts 11a, 12a are mounted in suitable noncircular slots provided in a panel-like carrier 39 of the unit 2. The wheels 11, 12 are coaxially secured to meshing gears 16 shown in FIGS. 3, 13 and 17, and the teeth on the gear 16 of the upper wheel 11 mesh with the teeth 17 of a driver gear 18 which lis mounted on a shaft 18a.

The teeth of the gears 16 are in loose mesh to allow for some 'adjustments in the distance between the shafts 11a, 12a. Any major adjustments in the width of the gap between the mantles 13, 14 will necessitate replacement of Wheels 11, 12 by wheels having mantles of a diameter exceeding or less than the diameters of the mantles 13, 14. Since the mantles consist of elastic material, they 'allow for at least some changes in the distance between the axes of the wheels 11, 12 so that such wheels will be replaced by differently dimensioned wheels only in such instances when the dimensions of filaments passing `across the cutout 10 differentiate substantially from the dimensions of lilaments 7 shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 3.

The gear 18 may be driven through a conventional one-way clutch 19 (see FIG. 2) which is operated by a lever 20 having an elongated slot 20a to receive a follower 21 provided at one end of a motion transmitting arm 22. This arm 22 comprises two sections which are coupled to each -other by a turnbuckle 23. Thus, by rotating the turnbuckle 23, one may change the length of the arm 22 and the extent to which the mantles 13, 14 may advance the leading portions of a set of four filaments 7 through the guide 6. The right-hand section of the arm 22 is connected with an eccentric disk-shaped cam 24 which is mounted on a driver shaft 24a and whose periphery is tracked by `a roller 34a provided at one end of a two-armed lever 34. This lever is rockable about a horizontal pivot 3419 and its longer arm is provided with a turnbuckle 34C. The shorter arm of the lever 34 is articulately connected with the upper leg 32a of a ram 37 whose lower leg 32 is guided in brackets B2b and which forms part of the cutting device 3. The connection between the upper leg 32a and the shorter arm of the lever 34 comprises a pivot 34d. The free end of the lower leg 32 carries a head 29 which is provided with a blade-like cutter 30. The connection between the legs 32, 32a comprises a universal joint 140 of known design, and this joint enables the lower leg 32 to perform strokes of desired length. The length of such strokes may be varied by the turnbuckle 34C and depends on the thickness of the iliments 7 and on certain other factors which will be explained later.

It is clear that the gear 16 of the lower wheel 12 (see FIG, 13) may be driven independently of the upper wheel 11, for example, by providing a series of intermediate gears which establish a driving connection between the gear 1S and the lower gear 16. Also, the lower gear 16 may be driven by a gear other than the gear 18. All that counts is to drive the wheels 11, 12 in opposite directions (i.e., in FIGS. 2 and 13, the wheels 11, 12 respectively rotate in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction), and the drive for these wheels must function intermittently 'to make sure than the assembling unit 2 will operate in synchronism with the inserting unit 25. It is normally preferred to construct the feeding device 5 (which yadvances the filaments 7 into and through the guide 6) in such a way that both mantles 13, 14 will positively entrain the respective sides of each filament. The guide 6 is preferably constructed in such a way that its parts may be readily detached to be replaced by the parts of a different guide when the machine is converted for processing of another type of filamentary material. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 17, the guide 6 comprises two tubular sections 6a, 6b which are located at the opposite sides of the cutout and which are in registry with each other so that filaments 7 entering the rear section 6a and passing through the cutout 10 will automatically enter the front section 6b of this guide.

The guide 6 feeds the filaments 7 to the stacking device 8 which is constructed in such a way that it allows for subdivision of filaments While the filaments are still located in a common horizontal plane and that the separated filament portions or bristles 7a of the thus obtained group are then automatically stacked one above the other to form a tuft 7b of four superimposed bristles. The stack-ing device 8 comprises guiding means including, a fixed tuft forming member 26 which is nearer to the inserting unit 25 and a movable tuft forming member 27 which is more distant from the inserting unit. The member 27 is movable vertically and is of substantially U- shaped cross section to straddle the stacked filaments 7 from above, from below, and from that side which faces away from the inserting unit. The stacking device 8 includes a funnel-shaped rear section 8a the open end of which is substantially flat and is located in a horizontal plane to register with the front section 6b of the guide 6 so that the leading portions of filaments which are advanced by the mantles 13, 14 may enter the rear section 8a. This rear section 8a converges forwardly toward the front section 8b of the stacking device 8 so that the tips of the leading portions of filaments which entered the rear section 8a will form a single file of superimposed tips. Each of the sections Sa, 8b includes a portion of the fixed member 26 and Ia portion of the movable member 27. This is shown, for example, in FIG. 3. The leading portions of filaments entering the rear section 8a are located in a common horizontal plane which coincides with the plane of the channel defined by the guide device 6 whereas, on entering the front section 8b, the tips of such leading portions move into a common vertical plane and the maximum transverse dimension of each filament 7 is perpendicular to such vertical plane. It can' be said that the width of the passage defined by the stacking device 8 decreases gradually in a direction from the guide 6 toward the front section 8b and that the height of this same passage increases gradually in a direction from the free end of the rear section 8a toward the rear end of the front section 8b. Therefore, the leading portions of the filaments which were disposed side-by-side are now located one above thet other; however, and since the cutting device 3 is located in the region of the rear section 8a, the filaments will be severed in a zone in which they are still located in a common horizontal plane. The filaments entering the front section 8b will undergo some deformation vbecause the tips of their leading portions must be flexed to follow the outline of the passage in the stacking device 8, but such deformation is within the elastic limits and, moreover, the deformation is terminated as soon as the cutter 30 performs a working (downward) stroke to sever such portions of filaments in a plane which is located to the right of the rear section 8a. The forward end of the front section 8b cooperates with an yadjustable block-shaped stop 28 which opposes the action of wheels 11, 12 and determines the length of bristles 7al. The stop 2S is adjustable in the longitudinal direction of the guide 6 by a manually operated adjusting mechanism shown in FIGS. 14 and 17. The adjusting mechanism comprises a fixed spindle nut 28C which is mounted on -a stationary frame member 1d, a spindle 23a which'meshes with the nut 28C and is rotatably coupled to the stop 28, and a crank handle 28b which serves to rotate the spindle 28a. When the operator rotates the handle 28b, the spindle 28a moves in the axial direction of the nut 28e and entrains the stop 28 which is held against rotation by the top face 1e of the frame member 1d.

The movable member 27 of the stacking device 8i is provided with a cutout 27a (see FIG. 5) which is aligned with the rear finger 4a of the transfer device 4, i.e., with that finger which is distant from the inserting unit 25. When the member 27 is moved to its lower end position shown in FIG. 6, the front edge of the rear finger 4a enters the cutout 27a and the transfer device 4 is then ready to deliver a freshly assembled tuft 7b to the inserting unit 25. It is clear that the machine of my invention is normally furnished with sets of readily exchangeable guides 6 and stacking devices 8 each of which may be utilized in connection with a given type of filaments 7 and/ or with a given number of such filaments. The stacking device 8 may be replaced by a different stacking device upon removal of the screw shown in FIG. 15.

The front section 6b of the guide 6 is provided with a cutting edge 31 (see FIG. 2) which cooperates with the adjacent edge of the cutter 30 to sever the filaments 7 in a zone which is located between the [rear section 8a of the stacking device 8 and the forward end of the front section 6b. The edge of the cutter 30 is inclined with reference to the common plane of the filaments 7 in the guide 6 so that such cutting edge will readily sever the filaments one after the other, beginning with the filament which is farthest away from the observer of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 shows four rails 6c which are attached to the carrier 39 and serve to hold the portions 6a, 6b of the guide 6 in requisite position. The rails 6c allow for rapid and convenient replacement of the guide 6 by a differently dimensioned and/or configurated guide.

The cutter 30 is reciprocable by the ram 37, ie., by the lower leg 32 of this ram, and the latter also reciprocates the member 27 of the stacking device 8 through a suitable connection shown in FIGS. 15 and 18. The conneet-ion between the lower leg 32 and the member 27 is such that the latter begins to move downwardly immediately after the edge of the cutter 30 completes the separation of such portions of the filaments which extend beyond the forward end of the guide device 6. In response to such displacement of the member 27, the freshly formed tuft of bristles 7a descends into a recess 33 of the transfer device 4. In order to change the length of bristles 7a, the entire guide 6 may be shifted with the carrier 39 in a direction lat right angles to the transfer device 4. Thus, and referring to FIG. 2, the guide 6 and the carrier 39 may be moved horizontally in a direction toward and away from the stop 28 because the transfer device 4 is operative to move the tufts 7b in a direction at right langles to the plane of FIG. 2. By proper selection of the length of the stacking device 8 and by proper adjustment of the stop 28, one can insure that the median portion of each tuft 7b comes to rest in the recess 33 when the member 27 of the stacking device 8 has been moved to its lower end position in which its cutout 27a accommodates the front edge of the finger 4m. Such adjustments in the position of the gu-ide 6 are possible because the motion transmitting arm 22 and the lever 34 are adjustable by means of turnbuckles 23 and 34C. The length of the bristles may be increased by moving the carrier 39 rearwardly (i.e., upwardly, as viewed in FIG.

17) whereby the guide 6 participates in such movement. The stop 28 is moved forwardly (i.e., downwardly, as viewed in FIG. 17) through the same distance as the carrier 39 and guide 6. The extent of displacement of the carrier 39 or stop 28 equals half the desired increase in the length of bristles. This will insure that the longer bristles are received by the inserting unit 25 in an optimum position for introduction into the back support 125:1. In the final step, the stacking device S is replaced by la different stacking device which is capable of stacking longer bristles.

FIG. illustrates the motion transmitting connection between the lower leg 32 of the ram 37 and the movable member 27 of the stacking device 5. This connection comprises a coupling element 146 which is detachably connected with the movable member 27 by a screw 145. The head 29 of the cutter 35 is reciprocable in the coupling element 146 to the extent determined by the length of a vertical slot 147 which receives the stems of two bolts 148. The bolts 148 are secured to the head 29 and the slot 147 is provided in the coupling element 146. The just described motion transmitting connection enables the cutter 30 to sever the filaments 7 before the movable member 27 begins to descend at the exact time when the stem of the lower bolt 14S reaches the lower end of the slot 147. When the leg 32 moves upwardly, the cutter 30 can be withdrawn before the member 27 returns to the position of FIG. 17. Such return movement of the member 27 must take place as soon as the stem of the upper bolt 148 enters the upper end of the siot 147. The extent of lost motion between the head 29 and coupling element 146 may be adjusted by changing the position of the bolts 148.

In order to insure that the member 27 begins to rise as soon as the leg 32 begins its upward stroke, the stacking device 8 preferably comprises a spring 149, shown in FIG. 15, which biases the member 27 upwardly and tends to maintain this member in its upper end position. In such end position of the member 27, the stacking device 8 registers with the tubular section 6b of the guide 6, and the filaments 7 are located at a level above the recess 33 in the transfer device 4. When the leg 32 descends, the edge of the cutter 3@ cooperates with the edge 31 of the tubular section 6b to sever the filaments 7 but the member 27 remains in the position of FIG. 15 because it is biased by the spring 149. During the next portion of the downward stroke of the ram 37, the coupling element 146 is caused to overcome the bias of the spring 149 whereby the movable member 27 descends and transfers the freshly severed bristles 7a into the recess 33 of the transfer device 4. Suitable abutments (not shown) may be provided to arrest the movable member 27 in each of its end positions.

The transfer device 4 further comprises a xed retaining inger 35 whose underside 36 is of arcuate shape to form a cam face so that the retaining finger resembles a. wedge which will cooperate with the remainder of the transfer device 4 to maintain the bristles 7a of a tuft 7b in compressed condition while the tuft advances toward the inserting unit 25. The retaining member 35 is of inverted U-shape and straddles a front finger 4b of the transfer device 4. The member 35 is stationary but the fingers 4a, 4b are movable as a unit to reciprocate back and forth (i.e., to the right and to the left, as viewed in FIGS. 6 and 17) in order to move a `freshly assembled tuft 7b to the inserting unit 25 and to thereupon return into a position ready to receive a fresh tuft. The rear finger 4a is secured to a horizontal base 4c.

FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate the position of the transfer device 4 with reference to the stacking device 8 and inserting unit 25. As shown, the retaining finger 35 extends from the stationary member 26 of the stacking device 8 and all the way to the unit 25 so that its cam face 35 holds the tufts 7b in compacted condition while the tufts advance with the recess 33 between the front and rear t lingers 4b, 4a of the transfer device. The fingers 4b, 4a are connected by a bridge member 15@ which insures that the lingers advance as a unit. The bridge member 15d extends beneath the recess 33.

The construction of the inserting unit 25 is shown in FIGS. 11, 12, 17 and 18. In FIG. 18, the leading portions of the filaments 7 are stacked one above the other and the cutter 3th is ready to perform a downward stroke to form a tuft 7b. The inserting unit 25 still holds the previously supplied tuft consisting of four superimposed bristles 7a.

The inserting unit 25 comprises a vertical housing or cylinder 251 which accommodates two reciprocable pushers 252, 253. The two pushers dene between themselves a vertical channel 254 which may receive a recipro- Cable clip forming die 255. In FIG. 11, the die 255 extends into the channel 254 and is straddled by a U-shaped staple or clip 256. Such clips are formed by suitable deformation of a wire 255g which is fed through a nozzle 255i). The deformation is carried out by the pusher 253 when the latter descends to the position shown in FIG. 11. The pusher 252 has an inlet 257 which allows the tuft 7b to enter the channel 254 when the pusher 253 is raised. The inlet 257 is aligned with the transfer device 4. When the pusher 253 descends, it deforms the clip 256 and thereupon blocks the inlet 257. The die 255 is withdrawn from the channel 254 as soon as the pusher 253 completes the formation of a clip 256.

When a tuft 7b enters the channel 254 (see FIG. 12), its bristles are held by the pushers 252, 253 and one end of the tuft still remains in the frecess 33 of the transfer device 4. The tuft 7b is located in a horizontal plane until the drive mechanism of the machine causes a deforming member 25411 to descend in the channel 254 and to bend the tufts into the form of a V-shaped body whereby the right-hand portions of the bristles, as viewed in FIG. 12, leave the recess 33 while the apex of the V- shaped body descends toward the outlet of the inserting unit 25. The clip 255 straddles the apex of the V-shaped body and the pushers 252, 253 advance as a unit to insert the thus deformed tuft into the back support x?. The deforming member 254g shares such movement of the pushers 252, 253 and anchors the clip 255 in the back support 125g. The drive mechanism for the deforming member 254g is shown in FIG. 18 and comprises a plunger 254k which is connected to the upper end portion 254e of the member 25451 and is reciprocable in a guide 254e. The means for reciprocating the plunger 254b comprises a two-armed lever 254d whose follower roller tracks a cam 254e receiving motion from the shaft 24a shown in FIG. 2.

If desired, the operation of the inserting unit 25 may be modified by causing the pushers 252, 253 to move upwardly as soon as a fresh tuft 7b enters the inlet 257. The tuft is thereby withdrawn from the recess 33 of the transfer device 4 and is then deformed and anchored in a manner as described in connection with FIGS. 1l, l2, 17 and 18. It is also possible to remove the tuft 7b from the recess 33 by causing the pushers 252, 253 to move in another direction with reference to the transfer device 4, or vice versa.

FIG. 16 shows the supporting or holding unit 125. The construction of this unit is described in my aforementioned copending applications. The numeral 125b denotes a drill which provides the back supports 125a with holes for reception of deformed tufts 7b and clips 255.

The heretofore described parts of the brush making machine 1 operate as follows:

The shaft 24a is driven at a constant speed to rotate the cam 24 whereby the arm 22 moves back and forth to rotate the gear 18 at regular intervals when the lever 2@ rocks in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2. The gear 18 is driven through the intermediary of the Oneway clutch 19 and rotates the gears 16 in a sense .to insure that the mantles 13, 14 will advance the filaments 7 in a direction to the left and through the guide 6. On moving through the guide 6, the leading portions of the filaments 7 are located in a common horizontal plane so that their upper sides and undersides are properly engaged by the elastic material of the mantles 13, 14. When the front end faces of the filaments 7 come in abutment with the stop 28, the cam 24 causes the head 29 to descend so that the inclined edge of the cutter 30 cooperates with the cutting edge 31 of the guide 6 in order to separate such portions of the filaments which protrude into the rear section Sa of the stacking device 8. The thus obtained bristles 7a are held between the members 26, 27 of the stacking device and descend with the member 27 when the follower 34 tracks the lobe 24h of the cam 24, Consequently, the front edge of the rear finger 4a enters the cutout 27a and the median portion of the freshly formed tuft 7b enters the recess 33. As soon as the bristles 7a are separated from the remainder of the respective filaments 7 and the member 27 descends, their rear ends recoil to move above each other whereby the bristles 7a form a tuft 7b of accurately aligned superimposed bristles which is ready to be delivered to the inserting unit 25. The means for moving the transfer device 4 (and more particularly the fingers 4a, 4b and the base 4c of this transfer device) toward the inserting unit 25 is shown in FIG. 18 and includes a link 151 coupled to the bridge member 150, a lever 152 coupled to the link 151 and biased by a spring 155, a follower 153 on the lever 152, and a cam 154 which cooperates with the follower 153 and receives motion from the shaft 24a of FIG. 2. During its advance toward the inserting unit 25, the rear finger 4a travels through the cutout 27a of the movable member 27 and pushes the tuft 7b beneath the stationary retaining member 35 so that the uppermost bristle 7a slides along the arcuate cam face 36 and is gradually pressed against the remaining bristles of the tuft. The retaining member 35 preferably extends all the way to the inserting unit 25 (see FIG. 18) to insure that the bristles remain stacked and that the tufts 7b are in an optimum position for entry into the inserting unit.

All component parts of the assembling unit 2 (with the exception of the transfer device 4 and stop 2S) are mounted on the adjustable carrier 39 which is secured to the frame member 1a by bolts 40 passing through horizontal slots 39a of the carrier. By loosening the bolts 40, the operator may shift the carrier 39 to any desired position of adjustment.

A very important advantage of the assembling unit 2 is that the time available for feeding, stacking and severing of filaments 7 almost equals the length of intervals necessary for insertion of a tuft 7b into the back support 125a. The difference between the two intervals equals the time which is required for transferring a tuft 7b from the stacking device 8 to the inserting unit 25. It is clear that the operation of my machine may be modified in such a way that the cutter 30 will descend to sever a layer of coplanar filaments 7 while the transfer device 4 delivers a tuft 7b to the inserting unit 25. This can be achieved by replacing the cam 154 of FIG. 13 with a differently configurated cam so as to alter the timing of operation of the transfer device 4. Such mode of operation is preferred because more time remains for feeding and stacking of the filaments.

Another important advantage of the improved assembling unit is that it may be readily converted for assembling prefabricated bristles, for example, to assemble bristles which are stored in customary trays or boxes disclosed, for example, in German Patent No. 1,115,713. This is possible because the assembling unit 2 comprises the transfer device 4 and, if the assembling unit is used for processing of prefabricated bristles, the component parts of the transfer device actually perform a dual function, namely, separating a requisite number of bristles and transporting the thus separated bristles to the inserting unit. ln the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 7 and 11 to 18, the device 4 serves exclusively to transfer predetermined numbers of bristles 7a (i.e., tufts 7b) to the inserting unit 25. On the other hand, and if the assembling unit 2 is used to process prefabricated bristles, the transfer device 4 will actually select a requisite number of prefabricated bristles to advance such bristles to the inserting unit. Also, instead of moving along a straight path, the transfer device 4 may be arranged to advance the tufts along an arcuate path.

As stated above, the connection between the legs 32, 32a of the ram 37 includes the universal joint 140. An important advantage of this joint is that the leg 32 may be located in a plane which is different from that of the lever 34. This allows for greater flexibility of the assembling unit 2. It is further clear that the lever 34 for the ram 37 may be rocked by a cam other than the cam 24 so that the strokes of the cutter 30 may be regulated independently of the operation of advancing wheels 11, 12. The shaft 24a can carry two eccentric cams one of which corresponds to the cam 24 and serves to oscillate the lever 20 and the other of which serves to rock the lever 34.

FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate a portion of a modified assembling unit 102 which includes a guide 106 adapted to accommodate three flat strip-shaped filaments 107a, 107b, 107C in a common horizontal plane. On entering the front section 10812 of the stacking device 108, the first outer filament 107a will be the uppermost filament of the stack, the median filament 10711 will be the central filament of the stack, and the second outer filament 107e will be the lowermost filament of the stack. In order to assist such stacking of the filaments, the rear section 10811 of the stacking device 108 is provided with two inclined forwardly converging lateral grooves 41, 42 which respectively guide and deflect the filaments 107a, 107e so that the filament 107a is fiexed upwardly and the filament 107C is fiexed downwardly. The cutter 130 of the assembling unit 102 is secured directly to the movable member 127 of the stacking device 108 by means of a screw so that, when the cutter 130 descends, it automatically shifts the member 127 downwardly whereby the freshly formed tuft consisting of the leading portions of filaments 10751-1070 will descend into the path of the transfer device 104 which is constructed in the same way as the transfer device 4. The drawings also show the stationary member 126 and the cutout 127a of the stacking device 108. The front section 108b of the stacking device cooperates with an adjustable stop 128. The tuft in the passage of the stacking device 103 consists of rather loosely stacked bristles, but such bristles are compressed gradually while advancing along the cam face of the retaining member 35 (not shown in FIGS. 8 to 10). The stacking device 108 can be replaced by a different stacking device upon removal of the screw 145.

When the filaments 7 or 107a-107c consist of stripshaped filamentary material, the guide 6 or 106 is preferably wide enough to accommodate the filaments side-byside in a manner as actually shown in the drawings. In fact, the width of the channel in the guide 6 or 106 is preferably such that the filaments may be accommodated with some clearance to avoid jamming of the guide. Jamming could take place if all of the filaments are not produced with requisite precision, i.e., if the width of a filament varies from section to section or if the width of all of the filaments is not exactly the same. When the filaments consist of round stock, for example, of Nylon or other suitable synthetic plastic material, they may be guided to advance in a vertical plane, i.e., one above the other. In such assembling units, the wheels 11, 12 of the advancing device for the filaments will rotate about vertical axes. It was found that the operation of the assembling unit is considerably improved if all of the filaments passing through the guide 6 or 106 are located in a common plane so that they form a single layer of co-v planar filaments. It is of lesser importance whether the layer is located in a horizontal, inclined or vertical plane. Also, and as stated above, it is preferred to construct the feeding device in such a way that both of its wheels are positively driven and that each thereof exerts upon the filaments a force which tends to feed them through the passage defined by the stacking device S or 168 and into abutment with the stop 28 or 121').

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In a machine for making brushes of the type wherein groups of separate filament portions are inserted into a back support, in combination, a source of supply comprising a plurality of fiat filaments adapted to be subdivided into filament portions of requisite length; feeding means operative to intermittently advance said fiat filaments side by side and lengthwise along an elongated path; stacking means for moving the leading portions of filaments during advance thereof so that such leading portions are superimposed on each other; aligning means for aligning said fiat filaments during advance thereof so that they extend in a common plane adjacent to and parallel to each other in direction of their advance; cutting means cooperating with said aligning stacking means for separating the thus superimposed leading portions of the thus aligned flat filaments between intermittent operations of said feeding means to form groups of flat separated lament portions; inserting means arranged to receive such groups; and transfer means for delivering the groups to said inserting means.

2. In a machine for making brushes of the type wherein groups of separated filament portions are inserted into a back support, in combination, a source of supply comprising a plurality of convoluted filaments adapted to be subdivided into portions of requisite length; feeding means operative to intermittently advance said filaments lengthwise along an elongated path; aligning means for aligning said filaments during advance thereof in a guide channel extending in a common plane adjacent to and parallel to each other in direction of their advance in said guide channel, a rotary member having a portion eX- tending into said channel to engage the filaments therein for advancing the same in said channel, and means for intermittently rotating said rotary member; stacking means for moving the leading portions of filaments during advance thereof beyond said guide means so that such leading portions are superimposed on each other; cutting means cooperating with said guide channel for separating the leading portions from the remainder of the filaments at a point where the filaments are located in a common plane and between intermittent operations of said feeding means whereby the thus separated leading portions form groups 4of separated filament portions received in said stacking means; inserting means arranged to receive such groups; and transfer means for delivering the groups from said stacking means to said inserting means.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 2, wherein said rotary member is a wheel having a peripheral portion consisting of friction generating material and engaging the filaments in said channel.

4. A structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein said peripheral portion is a mantle which consists of rubber.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein the means for intermittently rotating said wheel comprises a first gear coaxially secured to the wheel, a second gear meshing with said first gear, a rotary eccentric cam, and

l?. an operative connection between said cam and said second gear.

6. A structure as set forth in claim 5, wherein said operative connection comprises an arm having a first end operatively connected with said cam and a second end, a lever extending substantially radially with reference to said second gear and having an elongated slot, a follower connected with the second end of said arm and extending into said slot to oscillate said lever, and one-way clutch means connecting said lever with said second gear so that the second gear rotates when the lever is rocked in a direction to rotate said wheel in a sense to advance the filaments through said guide means.

'7. A structure as set forth in claim 6, further cornprising means for adjusting the length of said arm to thereby change the length of separated filament portions.

8. In a machine for malting brushes of the type wherein groups of separated filament portions are inserted into a back support, in combination, a source of supply comprising a plurality of convoluted filaments adapted to be subdivided into portions of requisite length; feeding means operative to intermittently advance the filaments lengthwise along an elongated path; guide means defining a channel through which the leading portions of the filaments advance in a common plane; cutting means cooperating with said guide means for separating the leading portions of the laments from the remainder of filaments in said channel between intermittent operations of said feeding means to form groups of separated filament portions; stacking means adjacent to said guide means and defining a passage receiving the leading portions of filaments during separation of such leading portions, said stacking means comprising guiding means for guiding the leading portions of filaments to positions in which such leading portions are superimposed on each other; inserting means arranged to receive separated filament portions; and transfer means for delivering the separated filament portions from said stacking means to said inserting means.

9. A structure as set forth in claim wherein the passage of said stacking means converges in the plane of said channel and in a direction away from said glide means and simultaneously diverges in a plan which is perpendicular to the plane of said channel so that parts of the leading portions of filaments in said passage are located in two different planes which are normal to each other, said guiding means being constituted by members bounding said passage.

lf3. A structure as set forth in claim 8, further comprising stop means provided at that end of said passage which is distant from said guide means.

lll. A structure as set forth in claim 8, wherein said guiding means comprises a yfixed member and a second member, said fixed member being located between said second member and said inserting means and said second member being arranged to straddle three side of the leading portions of filaments and having a cutout therein, said second member being movable between a rst position in which said members together define said passage and a second position, said transfer means comprising a finger adapted to extend through said cutout in the second position of said second member to remove separated filament portions therefrom.

12. A structure as set forth in claim ll, further cornprisi-ng means for moving said second member to said second position in synchronism with the operation of said feeding means and said cutting means.

f3. In a machine for making brushes of the type wherein tufts of separated filament portions are inserted into a back support, in combination, la source of supply comprising a plurality of convoluted substantially rectangular filaments of substantially rectangular cross-sectional outline adapted to be subdivided into filament portions of substantially rectangular cross section and requisite length; feeding means operative to intermittently advance said rectangular filaments lengthwise along an elongated path; aligning means including guide means defining a channel through which the leading portions of said substant-ially rectangular filaments advance in a common plane; cutting means cooperating with said guide means for separati-ng the leading portions of said substantially rectangular filaments at a point where the filaments are located in said common plane and between intermittent operations of said feeding means whereby the thus separated leading portions form groups of separated filament portions having substantially rectangular cross section; stacking means defining a passage :for the leading portions of Iilaments, said stacking means comprising guiding means for guiding such leading portions to positions in which the leading portions are superimposed on each other; inserting means arranged to receive groups of separated filament portions; and transfer means for delivering the groups of separated filament portions to said inserting means.

14. A structure as set forth in claim 13, wherein said feeling means comprises a rotary eccentric cam, at least one wheel engaging the filaments in said common plane, and an operative connection `between lsaid cam and said wheel for intermittently rotating said wheel -in a direction to advance the leading portions of filaments into said passage.

15. A structure as set forth in claim 14, wherein said cutting means comprises a reciprocable cutter disposed Aintermediate said guide means and said stacking means, and an operative connection between said cutter and said cam for moving said cutter across said common plane between intermittent operations of said feeding means.

16. A structure as set forth in claim 15, wherein said guiding means comprises a xed member disposed be tween said passage and said inserting means and a second member having a cutout therein, said second member Ibeing movable between a first position in which said members together deline said passage and a second position, said transfer means comprising a linger extending into said cutout in the second position of said second member so as to remove a group of separated tilament portions `from said stacking means when the transfer means is thereupon moved on to said inserting means.

17. A structure as set forth in claim 16, wherein said finger is provided with a recess which receives a portion of 'a group of separated filament portions when the second member of said guiding means is moved to said second position.

18. A structure as set forth in claim 16, wherein said transfer means further comprises a fixed retaining member which compresses the groups of separated tilament portions during transfer from said second member to said inserting means.

19. A structure as set forth in claim 18, wherein said retaining member is provided with an arcuate cam face to effect gradual compression of groups of separated filament portions during delivery on to said inserting means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,512,588 10/ 1924 Fisher 3D0-3 2,262,915 1l/194l Bobst 226-142 2,710,774 6/ 1955 Baumgartner 300-4 3,065,994 11/*1962 Puschel 300--4 GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR MAKING BRUSHES OF THE TYPE WHEREIN GROUPS OF SEPARATE FILAMENT PORTIONS ARE INSERTED INTO A BACK SUPPORT, IN COMBINATION, A SOURCE OF SUPPLY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF FLAT FILAMENTS ADAPTED TO BE SUBDIVIDED INTO FILAMENT PORTIONS OF REQUISITE LENGTH; FEEDING MEANS OPERATIVE TO INTERMITTENTLY ADVANCE SAID FLAT FILAMENTS SIDE BY SIDE AND LENGTHWISE ALONG AN ELONGATED PATH; STACKING MEANS FOR MOVING THE LEADING PORTIONS OF FILAMENTS DURING ADVANCE THEREOF SO THAT SUCH LEADING PORTIONS ARE SUPERIMPOSED ON EACH OTHER; ALIGNING MEANS FOR ALIGNING SAID FLAT FILAMENTS DURING ADVANCE THEREOF SO THAT THEY EXTEND IN A COMMON PLANE ADJACENT TO AND PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER IN DIRECTION OF THEIR ADVANCE; CUTTING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID ALIGNING STACKING MEANS FOR SEPARATING THE THUS SUPERIMPOSED LEADING PORTIONS OF THE THUS ALIGNED FLAT FILAMENTS BETWEEN INTERMITTENT OPERATIONS OF SAID FEEDING MEANS TO FORM GROUPS OF FLAT SEPARATED FILAMENT PORTIONS; INSERTING MEANS ARRANGED TO RECEIVE SUCH GROUPS; AND TRANSFER MEANS FOR DELIVERING THE GROUPS TO SAID INSERTING MEANS. 